Guard-bail of railroads to be used with prong-ed cow-catchers



UNITED STATES PATENT oEEicE.

H. D. SEARLES, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

GUARD-RAIL 0F RAILROADS T0 BE USED WITH PRONG'ED COW-CATCHERS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,051, dated June 12, 1855.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HosEA D. SEARLES, of Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Permanent Ways of Railroads, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which- Figure l represents a plan of a short section of the improved way, and a locomotive thereon. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 a cross section at the line of Fig. l.

Many of the accidents to trains of passenger cars on railroads, which result in the loss of life, are caused by obstructions lying on the rails too low to be turned aside by the cow-catcher, and on which, consequently, the locomotive will run and not infrequent-ly be thrown ofi' the track. It is the main purpose of my invention to prevent accidents of this kind by constructing the permanentway, in such manner as will render it exceedinglyV difficult if not impossible for the train to run oft1 the track, and it consists in arranging two or more guard stringers, or ribs between the rails. These guards project considerably above the latter, and above the prongs of the cowcatcher so that the latter shall run between them and pass under any obstructions that may be laid across the track, -thus preventing the engine from being thrown off. This contrivance also tends to prevent the cars from running oft' the track, in case the wheels or axles of the cars sho-nld break. This contrivance has the further effect of giving to the track increased stability so that trains may be run at high velocities with much greater safety than heretofore.

The bed timbers or mud sills (a), cross-ties (b) and the rails (c) as represented in the accompanying drawings, are constructed and arranged in the usual or in any convenient manner. Longitudinal Stringer guard-timbers, or ribs (d) are laid and secured upon the cross-ties between the rails (0); these guards run parallel to the rails and at such a distance from the same, that the wheels of the locomotive and cars will almost touch, but not rub against them; these guard ribs are of such a thickness that they stand considerably higher than the rails, and are of a suitable width to insure requisite strength and stability. Similar intermediate ribs or timbers (e) may be bolted on the cross-ties at proper distances apart, within the outer stringers; these intermediate stringers may be of the same height as, and parallel to the outer stringers.

. By t-he projection of the guard ribs above the rails, sticks, branches, or other obstacles lying across the track will be held above the rails in such a position as to be caught and thrown off by the cow-catcher. Incase any breakage or derangement takes place in the running gear, the cars will be held up and slide along with safety on the tops of the guards instead of becoming entangled with the cross-ties as on roads of the usual construction.

The cow-catcher or guard which projects in front of the locomotive should be made with prongs that hang between the guard ribs, so that they would pass under a tree, or other obstacle lying on the top of the ribs, thus all liability of the cow-catcher to override the obstacle is avoided, and the safety of the cars thereby greatly enhanced. The close proximity of the guard ribs to the rails render it almost impossible for the wheels to get off the latter.

Thus it will be seen great safety is insured, either against accidental derangement or breakage of the cars, and against oversrunning obstacles on the track, while the strength of the track is increased.

The upper faces of the guard and intermediate timbers, may be wedge shaped or rounded, and many modifications of the structure and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the principle of my invention.

I am aware that several patents have been granted for central guard rails on railways and that cars have been fitted with central wheels to run on such central rails.

I am also aware that cars have been fitted with instruments like plowshares to remove obstructions from the rails, in front of both the side and central wheels of cars, of which Le Blanks cars, patented in France, and Ashcrofts, patented in this country, are examples, but I am not aware that prior to the date of my invention, any one ever placed a series of guard ribs, elevated considerably above the rails, the yentire length of the track, and arranged the fingers of the cow catcher, to run between and outside of l0 by Letters Patent is- The combination of elevated guard ribs I with the track, when the same are soarranged that the prongs of the cow-catcher of the'locomotive may run between them substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

HOSEA D. SEARLES.

Witnesses:

RUSSELL CHAPMAN, JOHN E. SEARLES. 

